428 



PICARIJ^.. 



CORACIIDvE. 



CORACIID.M. 



CoRAciAS GARRULUS, Liiiugeus*. 

 THE ROLLER. 

 Coracias garriila. 



CoRACiAS, Linnwus\. — Bill stout, Lard, compressed, with cutting edges slightly 

 inflected ; upper mandible decurved at the tip ; gape wide. Nostrils lateral, linear 

 and oblique, partly hidden by a plumose membrane. Lores beset in front by a 

 row of stiff bristles. Postocular space bare. Wings long, of ten primaries, the 

 first a little shorter than the second or third, which are the longest, but rather 

 longer than the fourth. Tail of twelve feathers, rather long. Tarsi short, broadly 

 scutellated in front ; toes free, three before, one behind ; claws stout. 



The Roller comes in spring to North Africa and Europe 

 from the interior of the continent first named, whither it 

 retires in autumn to winter, and is abundant during its 

 double passage on most of the Mediterranean islands. The 

 earliest recorded notice of its occurrence in this country is 

 by Sir Thomas Browne, who left a description, now in the 



* C. garrula (errore), Linn. Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 159 (1766). t Lor. cif. 



